Sly Stone’s Family Reflects on His Legacy, Roots in North Texas
Born Sylvester Stewart in 1943, Sly Stone came into the world in Denton, Texas. He was just six years old when he began singing in church—a spark that would ignite a trailblazing career. On Monday, the iconic music pioneer passed away at the age of 82 in Los Angeles.
FOX 4 caught up with three of his cousins—Wayne Rodgers in Denton, Abner Haynes Jr. on the road in Minneapolis, and David Haynes from East Texas—who shared memories of the man behind the music. Their reflections were full of love, laughter, pride, and pain.
“He was our cousin,” said Abner. “Every time he came through Texas, he was gonna call. We were going to hang out. He was family.”
Despite the years and distance, their bond never faded. “They were the first American band that was integrated—race and gender,” added David. “That was groundbreaking.”
News of Stone’s death was a heavy blow.
“When I heard, I had to pull over,” Abner said. “Even though we didn’t see him as often, we were so proud of him. To lose him… it hurt.”
The cousins reminisced about the time they acted as bodyguards during a legendary tour featuring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Roger Troutman of Zapp.
“They were supposed to fly, but something went wrong, so we had to drive the whole caravan,” David recalled. “It was 14 limos from Dallas to Houston. Unforgettable.”
Wayne shared that his favorite Sly Stone song was a lesser-known ballad called My World.
“It went, ‘My world, my wish upon a star, never ever far, the joy and all my fun…’ It just hit different. Don’t mess with that song,” he laughed.
To the world, Sly Stone was the godfather of funk—an innovator who fused genres and shattered racial norms.
“Sly had a white drummer in the band when that just wasn’t done,” Abner noted. “That made us younger guys proud. He was pushing boundaries.”
But to his family, he was more than a legend—he was a cousin, a memory, a light.
“It’s emotional,” said David. “But it’s also a blessing. I’m grateful to come from a family so rich in love and history. I pray for his soul. May he rest in peace.”
Legendary DJ Dewayne Dancer also reflected on Stone’s singular impact on music.
“When you’re a genius like that, people don’t always get you,” Dancer said. “But Sly created a sound that was fresh, new, and powerful. It was the sound of America.”
And that sound—his sound—will live on.
The Source: Information in this story came from Sly Stone’s family.
